Friday, September 27, 2013

Well, it isn't really a montage because I'm not clipping things together, but I couldn't think of a better word. I happen to adore music, in case you didn't know that already. I do a What's Playing Wednesday blog post where I post songs I'm listening to or I follow along with a musical theme and I just recently started Freaky on Fridays where I post songs that get me ready for the weekend.

So when I saw this was the blog theme for this week...I could barely contain myself. Because really, I can't pick just one song. There are too many that appeal to different parts of my personality. Like this first song appeals to my geeky side. I love 70s rock, grew up listening to it all and this one is just like...I don't know, it's a perfect one when I'm feeling all groovy and cool...well, in my mind

Love me some Blue Oyster Cult. It was actually one of the first albums I owned. It wasn't this one but Fire of Unknown Origin...okay, you didn't want to know that...Moving on!

If I'm feeling angsty and like I want to take on the world? That's when I bring in my heavy metal stuff. It could be anything from old school Black Sabbath (Paranoid is a fantastic album and I learned to play the title song on bass) to modern day Slipknot or Avenged Sevenfold. But for today's post, I'm going with A7X (Avenged Sevenfold). "Bat Country" is just...well, it's a great metal song and I think the video is kind of fun. And if you can't look at M. Shadows (the lead singer) and see cuteness, then we need to get your eyes checked, sha!

But I'm not always all hardcore. I like to get groovy, or pretend to at least. I'm not much of a dancer and if you listen to Griffin, I pseudo-dance...you know, stand there and shake particular parts of my body in what I think (or hope) is a rhythmic fashion. I feel like that guy in the Dos Equis commercials. "I don't always dance, but when I do, I try to pretend I know what I'm doing."

As for what I listen to...hm, one song guaranteed to get me off my butt and moving is probably Jay-Z's "Can I Get A"...It's because the song came out when I was in college and when we used to go drinking, it was what usually played.

I could keep this up all day. There are songs I have to listen to when I'm driving (and those I can't listen to if I want to avoid a ticket), then I have woe-is-me-I'm-so-depressed music (usually hair band power ballads), or I'm-writing-so-fast-I-can't-even-think music. And then I have songs that just make me feel kind of happy and bouncy.

Like the last one. It's by the Bouncing Souls and we used to sing at college football games. Okay, yes, I was a band nerd. I was in band from fifth grade until my 3rd year of college with only a short break in 10th grade. I'm a band nerd and I'm proud of it. And "Ole" is lots of fun.

Friday, September 20, 2013

I always feel weird when we talk about music because I have such schizophrenic tastes. I’m convinced I’m the only person in the world who has Bobby Goldboro’s “Honey” and Alice Cooper’s “Trash” on the same playlist. Throw in a little Dan Fogelberg, Kid Rock, David Allan Coe and Flo Rida and you start to get the picture.So my choice of a theme song is a perhaps a bit obscure, but it’s pretty much been my theme song for…oh fifteen years now? I hesitate to share it because I’m afraid it makes me seem a little dark…but then I remember that I am a little dark, and I kinda treasure that side of me. J So here it is: Flagpole Sitta by Harvey Danger.The lines I relate to the most: “I was looking into the mirror, to see a little bit clearer, the rottenness and evil in me.” ßSpeaks to my secret smutty identity that I like to bring out to play.“I wanna publish ‘zines and rage against machines.” ßHe has urges to write and to buck the system. Me too, brotha.

(I had never actually seen this video before! Though I’ve listened to his song maybe a thousand times…)

And when I get in the mood to write ‘zines and rage against machines, I write things like this: (excerpt from Bossing the Boss which you can buy from Ellora's Cave for only $2.49!)
________

[When we meet our hero and heroine, she currently has the sleeve of her dress caught in the ginormous shredder after the entire office has left for the Christmas party. Thank god her top salesman, Rob, has returned to get his bonus check and is working to rescue her.]

He put his
hand on her back to steady himself. Had she ever noticed before how big his
hands were? Or how strong? Taking a deep breath, she chided herself. He worked for her, not with her, and as his boss
it was strictly forbidden for them to be involved, not to mention a really bad
idea.

“Can you
see the problem? Can you get me loose?” She had to get out of that helpless,
humiliating position so she could give Rob his bonus check. Screw the talking
points. In the state she was in now, she was going to get out of there as
quickly as possible and go home to her weekend plans, which involved takeout
and old movies on TV.

But Rob’s
body felt so large and warm. How nice would it be to curl up next to him on her
couch, his strong arm draped around her. Curl
up. Ha. Her employees probably thought she went home and sat in a straight-backed
chair in her free time, watching the clock until it was time to go back to
work.

She
exhaled silently, realizing she’d been holding her breath. It had just been so long since she’d enjoyed a man’s body
spooned against hers. For many years now she’d been more of a “take care of me
and then get out of my apartment” kind of a woman. What had happened to the
girl she was in college? Ambitious but still fun, cheery. Had her drive to reach
the top changed her that much?

“I can’t
quite see it.” His voice sounded a bit hoarse and she wondered if it was only
from the exertion. She could feel the tension in his body as he strained to
peer over her. “I’m going to try to get a better angle, but I’m going to have
to lean against you hard, Ms. Scott. Is that okay?”

“Yes!” she
responded more quickly than she’d intended, and bit her lip, hoping he hadn’t
noticed the near-pleading tone in her answer.

Rob
hesitated and she could see his face in her peripheral vision, tilted toward
her. Silent. She could only hear his breathing.

When he
leaned this time, he not only molded his body hard against hers, but shifted
around a bit to find a better angle. Soon she felt something enticing stiffen
against her bottom…something big. Before she could even think to hide it, she
let out a soft sigh, relishing the pressure of his growing erection against her
ass. Rob jumped back from the chair as if electrocuted.

She
gasped. How could she have done that? Her face burned and her heart felt as if it
might pound out of her chest.

Wednesday, September 18, 2013

When I finish a manuscript, this is usually the song which I play at a loud decibel:

When I'm in the midst of a deadline this is the song I hear:
When I'm feeling a bit sad and melancholy or writing a dark moment in my WIP this is the song I crank:
Nostalgia of my Grade 8 year (not that I have many happy memories of it) is laced in this song:
And when I'm feeling good, funky or just trying to have some fun these are the tunes I enjoy lip syncing too ...and I do lip sync:
I love lots of music, but Queen has been in the front and centre of my theme music for a long, long time.

Monday, September 16, 2013

Alright, so I'm recently single and out in the world having a little fun and this song is one that pops up on my computer a lot. It's my personal theme song...for right now anyway. Look out boys I AM hell on heels! I may have to change my Cabal name after this ;)

Friday, September 13, 2013

Boldly going where no man has gone before... the mind of Lea Barrymire. ROFLHmmm... theme song. I've spent WAY too long thinking about this and really nothing has popped out at me as the over all, fundamental 'Geeky Hotness' song. So, instead I'm sharing my 'mood' music with you. :)

I'm a jack-of-all-trades, wearer-of-many-hats, multitasking extraordinaire. When I write I like to have music in the background. Most of the time I end up pairing the songs to my mood or what's happening in the story. Here are some of my favorites...

For that angry sex, fight scene or all around bitch moment:

Disturbed- Down with the Sickness

Or something like Prodigy's Firestarter

If I'm in the mood for some 'chick' music I tend to go to early 90's girls. Natalie Imbruglia, All Saints, Aqua and No Doubt. I spent 3 years listening to Europe's choice of music while in Germany. :) By the way, I love this song, and I've told my kids it's about butt-dialing bwhahahaha

Now, if all I'm doing is driving around doing the mom thing I'm all about the 80's rock. Or, 'Classic Rock'. UGH Makes me feel old.

Well, and I had a HUGE crush on Jon Bon Jovi... BIG crush. :P

Okay, so you get the idea, right? I don't have a genre of music that I LOVE. I pretty much like anything out there. I haven't really been into country, sorry... BUT I've recently started listening to Steffen Hughes cover a bunch of songs. He's a hottie, gonna be on a cover for me, so... *clears throat* I'm not stalking him. Not at all. Promise.

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

Although I had an idea of what I would pick, I decided to take a poll among some of my family, asking what they thought my theme song should be. The results made me laugh but also made me a little proud. The first one my son came up with was Kung Fu Fighting by Carl Douglas (who happens to be a fellow Jamaican). Particularly, he said, the bit that says, "Here comes the Big Boss, Hoo-Ha, Let's get it on."

Then he came up with a song that's a staple on my playlist. It's one of the first songs I heard when I came to Canada, and I fell in love with it. That he would think a song named "Spitfire" is appropriate also made me laugh. I didn't embed it in this post because it's just the track and doesn't have all the cool and interesting back-up moves that the above video has *tongue firmly in cheek*.

When asked, my husband took a long time to come up with a song and then told me this one.

Pat Benatar was one of my idols, and when he said he thought of it because I roll with the punches and get back up... and occasionally fire off a few shots of my own... I thought that might have been one of the nicest things he's ever said to me. :)

But, truthfully, the first song that came to mind when I saw this topic is one I loved and wished I had the courage to emulate from the first time I heard it. But I didn't have the strength. I was too shy and too much of a people-pleaser, worried about what people would think or looking for approbation. I was glad when it became an anthem for a group of people too long downtrodden, but I still wanted it for my own... so now, older, having gotten past giving a shit, I claim it too. And yes, I know most of these songs age me horribly but *shrug* I am what I am!!

Monday, September 9, 2013

So I've been thinking about this topic for a while. Do I have a theme song? I love music. All kinds, from classical to blues to jazz to classic rock right through to some heavy metal. Being a 70's teen, I grew up around Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd and my second boyfriend was a drummer. Think that got me all hot to trot over drummers :) His name was Martin :) and I remember asking him "can you play Wipeout?" He rolled his eyes and said it was easy then proceeded to attack his kit. *sigh*

Anyway, for the purpose of this post I think I found the perfect song. At first I was thinking Comfortably Numb was appropriate seeing the hellish year I've had, but then one of my all-time favourites jumped into my head. I LOVE this song. Can listen to it over and over and over, belt it out when I'm in the car and yep, I air drum to it.

In my opinion it's a quintessential 60's & 70's song. Perhaps I should be wearing flowers in my hair, and goovin' and giving peace signs. I missed this "flower child", sexual revolution, subculture youth movement by a number of years. I'm glad in a way because that would mean I'd be that much older now! On the other hand, I think I would have fit in quite well.

The other day I was at my 25 year old son's apartment. A group of young people were moving in and I immediately thought they were a new form of hippies...love children. Afterward my sons says, "they're hipsters". So there you go, it all comes full circle folks.

Enjoy.

Peace out, man.
~~~
Now for some Hot Stuff. Not the singing kind, but feel free to click over and get down to Donna Summer.

Plus One blurb:

A
girls’ night out for a pole dance workshop at her friend’s upscale sex club
takes a wild turn for normally timid Karen. She knew what to expect, but not
how far she’d be willing to go.

Rob
comes to Desire After Dark as a plus one. His only expectation is visual
stimulation, not participation. But that soon changes when he spots the
buttoned-up-to-there beauty hanging around on the sidelines.

Thrown
together, Karen and Rob find the sexual heat between them undeniable. Surrounded
by twosomes and moresomes, they step on an unexpected and steamy path. But when
another joins in, they have a plus one of their own.

An excerpt from Plus One, a small snippet of my own version of some hot stuff.

Karen trembled uncontrollably. She stood naked—naked!—in front of a strange man and not only him. In front of a whole crowd of people. She glanced around and forced herself to relax. The others were far too distracted to notice her. She tried to keep tough, strong, and not wither like a violet. But it was damn hard.It was all she could do to not cross her arm over her breasts and place her other hand over her pussy. That would be so prudish and totally not fitting for this kind of club so she kept her hands by her thighs, pressing her fingers into her flesh to keep them still.The chill of the fall night swirled down from the surrounding buildings and whispered over her flesh. Karen felt her nipples rise up. Steam rose from the heated pool water shrouding them in its mist. It was now or never.She smiled at Rob and walked toward him, suddenly not so shy and feeling the power of her sexuality. She let her hips sway just a little more than normal and felt the bounce of her breasts. Glancing down at him she saw his cock jump and the need to curl her fingers around his impressive thickness made her fingers twitch.Thank God for wine.If it hadn’t been for the few glasses she’d already had to get her nerve up to swing around the pole, she wouldn’t be standing here bold as brass and naked in public. Part of her saving grace was the fact the others in the pool were intent on their own activities, barely noticing anyone else.

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

So when I was thinking about my theme music nothing good popped into my mind. I mean, I do have a song, every good crime fighting ninja does. But what plays on a loop in my head wouldn't be considered "theme music".

I played the violin in the 6th grade and my favorite song was called The Indian Waltz. Yeah, I know, having a dreary violin solo playing in the back of your mind wouldn't be a great motivator for anything, but I find that I hum it all the time and it has a calming effect on me.

For this assignment that song just wouldn't do. So I went with the next best thing. The song that I turn up and bounce to whenever it comes on. I'm almost too ashamed to admit it because the singer has been losing her mind lately but here it goes:

Imagine just for a minute that it was song by someone with an ounce of sense and while we're at it, a good singing voice. I love the lyrics. It reminds me of the good old days of hanging out with girlfriends and shutting down the clubs. Drink in the right hand and left hand in the air kind of fun

So take a minute. Listen to the words and try to remeber those good old days. Which may actually be this past weekend for some!

People have asked me how a lovely woman like me can have "Bitch" for a theme song. (I see you snickering over here. Pipe down.)

I think it's an accurate reflection of me. I am many things to many people. For instance, I really am a nice person. Until you threaten someone I love. Then I am your worst enemy. I'm a child when I run around Chuck E Cheese with my four-year-old. I'm a lover with my husband. I'm a mother when my four-year-old wants to have ice cream eight times a day.

All woman are like this. All adults, really. So while Bitch may seem like a negative song, it's really not. It's a reflection of the life we all lead.

How philosophical, I know. Don't get used to it.

Before I go, I wanted to tell you about a new release I have out. It's an anthology I wrote with two friends, Isabo Kelly and Stacey Agdern. Here's the blurb:

their lives will change forever. Can they face their difficulties and win the most important game of their lives – the game of love? These guys are going all in…

HEDGING HIS BET: Cassandra Carr
Marcus Mitchell never thought he’d find the love of his life with champagne dripping from her shirt rather than walking the runway at Fashion Week like the models he usually preferred, but you can’t always plan these things. Annalise Alonso isn’t going to make it easy for him, though—he’s going to have to work for her love. Now, Marcus is taking a shot and hedging his bet on love.

CASTING THE DIE: Isabo Kelly
After she sees his murder in a vision, Nathalie Mendez has to warn star hockey goalie Alexander Semenov of the danger. To keep him alive, she risks exposing her many secrets. But once the die is cast, her biggest gamble involves her heart.

PLAYING HER GAME: Stacey Agdern
Melanie Gould has been dubbed ‘The Girl in the Lace Corset’. But she doesn’t always like to be the loud mouth defender of the romances she writes, and is definitely not good at playing the games relationships require. Of course, she’s never gone head to head with a guy like Chris Emerson. Chris is trying to behave, and someone like Melanie would destroy his plans to stay under the radar. So what happens when the ‘Girl in the Lace Corset’ and the NHL’s most infamous bad boy go one on one? Will they play her game? Will they play his? Or will they both end up in the penalty box?

Until 9/12/13 it's $2.99 - that's less than a dollar a story, and each averages 28k so it's a great deal! Going All in is on Amazon and Smashwords and should be distributed everywhere else soon.

I also have a free read that's a bridge story between two books in my Storm series. It's titled Moving Day
and features characters from Should've Known Better and from Underneath It All, which releases this fall.

Here's the blurb for Moving Day:It's moving day for Sebastian, who's making a home with Sarah. Though Rob couldn't be happier for his friends, after the move has been completed he finds himself at loose ends, questioning the direction his own life is heading. Unbeknownst to him, Sebastian and Sarah are worried about the same thing and hope he can find someone special. Will he ever get his happy ending, or is Rob doomed to eternal bachelorhood?